Coin-controlled apparatus.



I. ROBBINS. COIN CONTROLLED APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 17, 1908.

Patented June 28, 1910.

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WITNESSES //VVENTO/ a. 2/ W zaw iewzmg I. ROBBINS.

00m CONTROLLED APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.17, 1908.

Patented June 28, 1910.

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WITNESSES C.

I. ROBBINS.

COIN CONTROLLED APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 17, 1908.

Patented June 28, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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WITNESSES c.

I. ROBBINS.

COIN CONTROLLED APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 17, 1908.

962,670. Patented June 28, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHHET 4.

HUT/VESSES INVENTOR C 15% fi fiojjins UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IRA ROBBINS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH To C. L. PARKER, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

COIN-CONTROLLED APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J une 2S, 1910. Application filed November 17, 1908.

Serial N 0. 463,068.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRA ROBBINS, citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coin-Controlled Apparatuses, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention is particularly designed for vending soda water checks, but it will be evident that it is not necessarily limited to this use, inasmuch as many of the features may be successfully employed in machines for vending various articles.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide novel, simple and effective mechanism by means of which articles of different value can be vended depending upon the value of the check or coin deposited.

A further object is to provide apparatus which is not apt to be fraudulently operated, and still another and important object is to construct the apparatus so that it will be comparatively simple and madeup of parts not liable to become injured or inoperative.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed in the accompanying drawings, but it will be evident from an inspection of the appended claims that said invention is not limited solely to the structure set forth.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a front elevation of the vending apparatus. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View theret-hrough at right angles to Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the controlling mechanism, the View being a section taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the plungers and the return stem. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the means for locking the operating shaft. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of one of the check-operated arms. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of the shifting means for the motion transmitting sleeve. Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of one of the weighted shifting arms.

Similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In the embodiment disclosed, a casing is employed, comprising a base 10 mounted on feet 11 and supporting standards 12, between which extend side walls 13 preferably of glass or other transparent material. A cover 14 is employed which includes an upwardly swinging top 15, by means of which access to the interior of the casing is obtained. Located within this casing are two article-containing tubes 16 having open upper ends and having their ends disposed in rear of delivery openings 17 arranged in the base 10. From these openings extends a forwardly and downwardly inclined chute 18.

A reciprocatory delivery plunger 19 operates across the bottom of each tube 16, and has a rack 20 on its rear portion. Meshing with this rack is a segmental gear 21 connected to a pinion 22 that is in mesh with a vertical rack 23 formed upon the lower end of a vertical reciprocatory plunger 24. One of these plungers is of course provided for each delivery device, and said plungers operate in guides 25 secured to standards 26 that are located within the casing. The plungers are normally held in elevated positions by coiled springs 27 surrounding the same and bearing against transversely disposed pins 28. Each plunger, as shown more particularly in Fig. 5 is provided with ahead 29, the upper surface of which is rounded.

An operating shaft 30 extends transversely in the upper portion of the casing, and has an exposed handle crank 31. This shaft is provided with a clutch wheel 32 having a peripheral groove 33, in which operates a ball 34, the ball being confined between the wheel and a cam finger 35, being urged into the contracted portion of the space between the two by a spring 36. It will be evident therefore that this clutch mechanism while permitting the free rotation of the shaft in one direction, will effectively prevent its rotation in an opposite direction. Upon the inner end of the shaft 30 is located a disk 37 having a shoulder 38 adapted to abut against an oppositely disposed shoulder 39 formed upon a latch 40 pivoted as shown at 41. It will be evident that when the shoulders 38 and 39 are in engagement, the shaft 30 will be held against rotation in the direction permitted by the clutch ball 34. A motion-transmitting member, in the form of a sleeve 42, is slidable longitudinally upon the shaft 30 between the standards 26,

and is provided at its ends with cam portions 43 movable respectively into and out of coaction with the actuating plungers 24 of the delivery mechanisms. When one of the cam portions 43 is in coaction with its plunger, the other will be out of coaction with the other plunger, as will be evident particularly by reference to Fig. 3. WVith the construction as thus far disclosed, it will be evident that if the latch is raised to release the shaft 30 and if one of the cam portions 43 is in coaction with its plunger, upon the rotation of said shaft 30, the plunger will be depressed, thereby efiecting the operation of the gear 21, moving forward the plunger 19, and ejecting an article from the lower end of the tube 16.

The mechanism for controlling the shifting of the sleeve 42 and the movement of the latch 40 is as follows: A vertical rock shaft 44 is located in the rear portion of the easing, and is provided at its upper end with a forwardly extending crank arm 45, the free end of which operates in an annular groove 46 formed at the center of the sleeve 42. This rock shaft is provided below the crank arm with oppositely extending abutment fingers 47 that are disposed in the paths of movement of horizontal reciprocatory plungers 48 slidably mounted in suitable bearings 49. Located above the front ends of said plungers 48 is a transverse shaft 50, on which are loosely journaled motor members or elements in the form of downwardly swinging arms 51 that are weighted, as shown at 52 and have portions 53 adapted to respectively strike the front ends of the plungers 48 and force them rearwardly. The upper ends of the arms 51, or rather the weighted portions 52 have shoulders 54, which are engaged by latch hooks 55 when the arms are in upright positions as shown in Fig. 2, said hooks therefore normally holding the arms against downward movement. J ournaled on the shaft 50 with the weighted arms, are other downwardly swinging arms 56 having lateially disposed pins 57 that extend between the arms 51 and the projections 53. These arms 56 are provided at their free ends with trays, designated respectively 58 and 59, one tray, as 58, being of a size to receive a check or coin of one denomination, the other being of a different size to receive a check or coin of a diiferent denomination. Thus in the present embodiment, the tray 58 will receive a five cent piece or nickel, while the tray 59 is designed to receive a dime. The tray 58 has a rear wall 60 provided with an opening 61 that will not permit a five cent piece to pass through, but will permit one of a smaller size. Those that pass through this slot are directed rearwardly off of the tray by a guiding flange 62, as fully illustrated in Fig. 4. The trays, when the arms are in their uppermost positions, are in line with the lower ends of check-conducting chutes 63 opening at their upper ends through the upper portion of the casing. The arms 56 are preferably counter-weighted, as shown at 64 so that they are about balanced, but when checks or coins are received in the trays thereof, they will be overbalanced, thus causing the said arms to swing downwardly. These arms 56 furthermore are provided with cam portions 65, and bearing against said cam portions are depending fingers 66 respectively secured to the latch hooks 55 that hold the weighted arms 51 against downward movement. The arms 56 are furthermore provided with hubs 67 having rearwardly extending projections 68 that are disposed in the path of movement of depending fingers 69 secured to the heads 29 of the plungers 24.

F or the purpose of operating the latch 40 which holds the operating shaft 30 against rotation, a horizontally disposed rock shaft 70 is provided having a rearwardly extending arm 71 that engages the lower end of a depending swinging link 72 carried by said latch. This rock shaft 70 furthermore has a pair of spaced forwardly extending prejections 73 that are disposed in the paths of movement of the different projections 53 on the weighted arms 51. It will thus be evident that when said arms swing downwardly, the projections 53 striking the pro jections 73 will cause the shaft 70 to be turned, thus elevating the projection 71, and consequently the latch 40.

Briefly described, the operation of the mechanism is substantially as follows: If a check is introduced into the apparatus through one or the other of the chutes 63, the same will be deposited in one of the trays 58 or 59. The weight of the check therefore overbalances the weight 64, and causes the arm 56 to swing downwardly. As it does so, the latch is elevated, thus releasing one of the weighted arms 51 and permitting it to come down with considerable force. As this arm drops, the projection 53 thereof strikes one of the plungers 48, thereby turning the rock shaft 44 in one direction and shifting the sleeve 42 so as to bring the proper cam portion 43 into c0- action with the plunger 24. Directly afterward the projection 53 strikes the projection 73 on the rock shaft 70, thus causing the elevation of the rack 40 and freeing the operating shaft. If therefore said shaft is turned, the cam portion 43 riding against the head 29 will cause a depression of the plunger 24 and the consequent ejection of an article. As the plunger moves downwardly, the finger 69 striking the projection 68 returns the arm 56 to its original position and the pin 57 carried by said arm returns the arm 51 to a position to be relocked by the latch 55.

In order to avoid a fraudulent operation of the apparatus, besides the slot 61 already described which permits the passage of checks from the tray 58, it will be noted that when the arms 56 swing downwardly, said trays will be in forwardly and downwardly inclined relation as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. Consequently the checks or coins will drop therefrom. They are received on inclined plates 74 carried by separate rock shafts 75, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. These plates are arranged in separate compartments, and each rock shaft has a crank arm 76 connected by a link 77 with a lever 78. Each lever is fulcrumed between its ends, and has its inner end disposed directly beneath the intake slot in-the casing. It will therefore be seen that upon the operation of the apparatus, the check which controls such operation will be deposited on one of the plates where it will remain until another check or coin is introduced into the machine. This check or coin must engage one of the levers 78, causing the same to swing, and thus through the medium of the link 77 and crank arm 76 turning the plate so that the check or coin already in place thereon slides from the plate downwardly into a receiving drawer or compartment 79.

From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, operation and many advantages of the herein described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, without further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim'as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In checkcontrolled mechanism, the combination with an operating shaft, actuating mechanism movably mounted upon said shaft, and feed-plungers cooperating with said actuating mechanism, of coin-controlled mechanism cooperating therewith, comprising releasable locking means for said operating shaft, means for shifting said actuating mechanism, and means for releasing said last named means.

2. In checkcontrolled mechanism, the combination with an operating shaft, actuating mechanism longitudinally movably mounted upon said shaft, and feed plungers for cooperating with said actuating mechanism, of a coin-actuated mechanism cooperating therewith, comprising releasable looking means for said operating shaft, a rock shaft provided with means engaging said actuating mechanism, means for moving said rock shaft, weights for actuating said last named means, and means for releasing said weights.

3. In check-controlled mechanism, the combination with an operating shaft, actuating mechanism longitudinally movably mounted thereon, and feed plungers for cooperating with said actuating mechanism, of coin-actuated mechanism cooperating therewith, comprising releasable locking means for said operating shaft, mechanism engaging said actuating mechanism for longitudinally moving the same, means for moving said last named mechanism, weights provided-with means to engage said last named means for moving the same, means for releasing said weights, and means connected to said feed plungers for returning said weights to their operative positions.

4:. In check-controlled mechanism, the combination with feed-plungers, a cam device adapted to be shifted to alternately assume an operative position with each of said feed plungers, and means for rotating said cam device, of coin-controlled mechanism for cooperating therewith, comprising releasable locking means for said first named means, means for shifting said cam device to its operative positions, and means for releasing the shifting means.

5. In check-controlled mechanism, the combination with feed plungers, a cam device adapted to be shifted to alternately assume an operative position with each of said feed plungers, and means for rotating said cam device, of coin-controlled mechanism for cooperation therewith, comprising a releasable locking device for said first named means, a rock shaft provided with means engaging said cam device, fingers rigidly connected to said rock shaft, plungers adapted to engage said fingers, downwardly swinging weights provided with means for engaging said plungers, means for releasing said weights, and means associated with said plungers to return said weights to their raised positions.

6. In combination with a vending machine comprising feed plungers and actuating mechanism adapted to be shifted to alternately assume an operative position with each of said feed plungers, of coin controlled mechanism cooperating therewith, c0mprising means for shifting said actuating mechanism, and means for releasing said last named means.

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

IRA ROBBINS.

Witnesses:

BEULAH M. TEITSWORTH, LUCY G. BUNNAGAR. 

